Finding a new job isn't easy in this economy. It can be especially hard for people over age 40. They face age discrimination. Employers tend to believe younger candidates are more familiar with new technology, and they can pay younger employees less.
Discrimination is usually subtle and not always deliberate, but the result is brutal. It takes people over age 40 nearly 40% longer to find new jobs as those under 35. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 is intended to protect most people over age 40 from discrimination in hiring, layoffs, salary, promotion, assignments and training.
Victims of age discrimination can sue employers or prospective employers -- but these cases are hard to prove. The employer can say that the candidate simply wasn't the best person for the job.
The best strategy is to outsmart age discrimination.
Here's how...
Confront technology-skills stereotypes head-on. When a 25-year-old applies for a job, everyone assumes he has computer skills. When a 55-year-old applies, most people assume he/she doesn't.
Self-defense: Mention technological expertise during interviews. On your résumé, list computer programs you know or certifications you have.
Select appropriate companies and industries. If possible, visit the company to get a sense of its culture. If it doesn't feel like a good fit, look elsewhere. If you have been laid off from a youth-focused industry, emphasize your transferable skills or, if necessary, leave the industry.
The technology, telecommunications and advertising sectors, for example, tend to favor younger hires.
The banking, government and utility sectors frequently hire younger employees and promote from within. An older job applicant in these industries should angle for a consultant's role rather than a promotion-track position.
Each year, AARP compiles a list of the top companies for older workers. To see the most recent list, go to
www.aarp.org/bestemployers.
Industries with the best opportunities now include teaching, health care and retail. Registered Nurses are in big demand across the country.
Dress for success. Match the culture you're hoping to join, but also look sharp. Clothes are only as good as the body wearing them. Get in shape. Managers want to hire people who look like they could run -- and win -- a race.
Show flexibility. A common stereotype holds that an older worker thinks his way is the only way to do things and he won't consider new ideas.
Self-defense: Design a résumé that reflects a range of positions and changing responsibilities. This is especially important if you have worked for the same firm for many years.
Example: Mention occasions when you implemented cutting-edge strategies.
Play the role of "possibility thinker" in interviews. Mention a possible scenario, and run through the company's options should it actually occur. When young people do this, they come off as loose cannons trying to fix things that aren't broken. When older, more experienced people do it, they seem adaptable and innovative.
Don't abbreviate your résumé -- contrary to standard advice. Some older applicants include only their most recent experience.
Let your résumé run two or three pages, so long as each description is succinct and demonstrates your accomplishments. Don't try to hide your age by withholding employment dates. Emphasize how your experience can help the firm deal with problems.
For information on your rights...
AARP,
www.aarp.org/careers.
US Administration on Aging,
www.aoa.gov.
US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission,
www.eeoc.gov.
